When the Hardwork Pays Off

It's Oireachtas Season! While I wish I was one of many people who was going (they even have an adult set competition in my region this year) It's hard not to be motivated about my dancing and progress. There are six ladies from my school going this year and I hope everyone dances their best!

Okay, so no Oireachtas for me this year, but I have 31 days until my ban is lifted and I have 35 days until my first feis back. I'm getting really excited. Back when I transferred it seemed like six months was so long. I won't lie to you, I miss competing, but I truly feel prepared and confident and I still have a month to polish and perfect. I know in the past I have written on a scale of 1-10 how ready I feel in each dance and it's probably too early truly say, but if O'shea Chaplin was tomorrow I'd say:

Reel: 8 This is definitely my weakest dance at the moment, which saddens me because I love reels! I attribute it to all the jumping, but I'm looking forward to placing out of it because I LOVE my novice reel.
Slip Jig: 8.5 Only because I'm technically going to be competing my Novice slip jig in Advanced beginner and I just finished learning it a few weeks ago. When I hit, it's awesome. Just need to hit every single time. We decided to go with the Novice one,= because it's much more graceful than the repetitive AB one.
Jockey to the Fair: 8.5 I would have this much higher if I could practice it with the correct amount of space needed. Goes well in class, not at home because I don't want to fall off the board or scuff the deck. This will also be my first Novice dance I compete so I'm nervous it's not up to snuff with the other girls in the category. Still have time!
Single Jig: 9 While I personally feel ready, I don't know how it's going to stack up against everyone else because it's 15& over all levels. We'll see, could be pleasantly surprised.
Hornpipe: 9 I am really starting to love this dance. There is just something about the way a hard shoe piece sounds perfectly in time to music. Plus my stamps makes everyone in the room stop and look. Hoping it works on the judges too!
Treble Jig: 9.5 I'm definitely a jig girl. I've done this baby with little to no missing beats. Hoping this confidence spills over on feis day.
Light Jig: 10: I am confident that I will be done with both of my light jigs first. Why? Because there are no jump 2,3's in either one!

I'll probably do this again in a few weeks when it's closer, but all the practicing and class time has been so beneficial.

Speaking of hard work paying off, I need to take pictures of myself. In the six months I've been with my new school I've been working out more than I ever had before. We run, do conditioning and core work. I'm so much more toned and in shape than before I transferred, it makes me so happy. I'm actually concerned that my new dress is going to be too big in places! Ah!

Non dance related: We closed on our house! It's been a lot of work but we're hoping to move in all our stuff next weekend!

Finally I have exciting news! I talked to my TC about upcoming 2016 competitions (Waiting for Fairfield Country Championship to come on Feis Web any day now!) and I will be competing as a NOVICE in my three soft shoe dances starting in January! I think that unless there are lots of people at O'shea for hard shoe and I beat all of them, we will probably keep my Treble Jig and Hornpipe in Advanced beginner until February or March, mostly because they are still fast speeds and I'd be competing against a class mate that I know I would never beat at the moment. But PROGRESS! ONE STEP CLOSER TO MY BIGGEST GOAL!

Bye,

Kay

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